What Columbia Skylights does

Columbia Skylights (legal entity Columbia Manufacturing Co. Ltd.) is a privately held Canadian skylight manufacturer founded in 1955 in Burnaby, British Columbia, and owned since 1984 by Mike Williams. The company manufactures and distributes a full portfolio of roof daylighting products - residential skylights (fixed and venting), commercial/industrial-grade skylights, flat roof skylights, custom-size skylights, and sun tubes - and is also the exclusive Canadian distributor of FAKRO premium European skylights and roof windows. Its installed base exceeds one million units across North America, making it the self-described leading skylight manufacturer in Canada, with additional exposure to US and international markets.

The company's product technology centers on cold-climate performance: triple glazing available across the entire product range, a 4-sided integrated condensation gutter in the PVC base frame, corrosion-resistant aluminum exterior frames with a 7-color standard palette plus custom color matching, and ENERGY STAR certification on the broadest range of skylights in Canada. Manufacturing and western distribution are co-located in Burnaby; eastern Canada is served from a Mississauga, Ontario facility, enabling delivery to most Canadian locations in under three days.

Columbia operates a hybrid go-to-market combining an authorized dealer and certified installer network across Canada, direct sales for commercial and custom projects, and a US/International Orders program. Revenue is generated from hardware sales (Columbia-manufactured and FAKRO-distributed), with quote-based pricing and no public disclosure of unit economics. The customer base is fragmented across residential homeowners, commercial/industrial buyers, architects (via a 25% professional discount program), and trade installers - with no anchor customer concentration. The company has remained independently owned for three generations, owns its factories and warehouses, and has raised no external capital.

Name

Columbia Skylights

Legal name

COLUMBIA MANUFACTURING CO. LTD.

Website

https://columbiaskylights.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skylight Manufacturing

akta.pro primary industry

Skylights & Roof Windows (IMADAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Skylights, Roof Windows & Daylighting (IMADAFAL), Skylights, Roof Glazing & Glass Roofing Systems (IMADAHAK), Skylight Replacement (HSAPAJAD)

Keywords

• Skylight manufacturing
• Residential skylights
• Commercial skylights
• Flat roof skylights
• Daylighting products

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnaby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Skylight Sales: Columbia manufactures and sells skylights directly to customers through dealers and installers, as well as direct purchases. Products include residential skylights, commercial skylights, flat roof skylights, custom size skylights, and sun tubes.
2. FAKRO Distribution: Exclusive Canadian distributor of FAKRO premium European skylights, roof windows, and flat roof skylights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Columbia Skylights manufactures and distributes curb mounted, self-flashing, wood deck mount, and sun tube skylights for residential, commercial, and flat roof applications in Canada. The company also serves as the exclusive Canadian distributor of FAKRO premium European skylights and roof windows, and markets the acquired Slimlite brand. Products are supported by a national dealer/installer network and direct sales from manufacturing facilities in Burnaby, BC and Mississauga, ON.

Product overview

Columbia Skylights is a skylight manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of roof daylighting products. The core offerings include Residential Skylights (fixed and venting configurations), Commercial Skylights (industrial-grade), Flat Roof Skylights, Custom Size Skylights, and Sun Tubes. The company also distributes FAKRO Premium European Skylights as an exclusive Canadian distributor and represents the Slimlite brand. All products feature triple glazing options and ENERGY STAR certification, with various frame colours and glazing configurations available. The product line is unified by shared technology including condensation control systems, corrosion-resistant aluminum frames, and PVC base frames.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FAKRO: Premium European skylights, roof windows, and flat roof skylights distributed exclusively by Columbia in Canada.
• Slimlite

Products and services

• Residential Skylights Canadian-made residential skylights in fixed and venting configurations, providing natural light and fresh-air ventilation to homes; available with double or triple glazing and multiple frame colors.
• Commercial Skylights Industrial-grade commercial skylights manufactured for factories, warehouses, and commercial buildings, with a focus on durability and long-lasting performance.
• Flat Roof Skylights Skylights designed for flat roof applications in residential and commercial settings, including curb mount, sun tubes, roof access doors, and specialty configurations.
• Sun Tubes Tubular daylighting devices that deliver natural light to smaller, darker interior spaces such as closets, hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms.
• Custom Size Skylights Custom ordering program allowing any model (fixed or venting), any glass or acrylic type, and any frame color to meet specialized project requirements.
• FAKRO Premium European Skylights Premium European skylights, roof windows, and flat roof skylights distributed exclusively in Canada by Columbia under its FAKRO partnership, featuring high quality and energy-saving performance.
• Slimlite Skylights Commercial and residential skylights under the Slimlite brand, wholly owned by Columbia, offering additional market recognition and technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• ENERGY STAR Canada Sustained Excellence Award 2021 and Special Recognition Awards 2022, 2024 - only skylight manufacturer in Canada to achieve this level of recognition

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FAKROcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColumbia Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is the exclusive Canadian distributor of FAKRO skylights, roof windows, and flat roof skylights. FAKRO is a European manufacturer with over 30 years of experience, having sold over 8 million skylights in more than 50 countries. This partnership brings premium European products to Canadian consumers through Columbia's established distribution network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• VELUX Group: The world's largest manufacturer of roof windows and skylights, with a full product range covering residential and commercial applications. VELUX is Columbia's most direct global competitor and the benchmark for premium, climate-engineered skylight brands.
• FAKRO: Premium European skylight and roof window manufacturer with 30+ years of experience and 8M+ units sold across 50+ countries. FAKRO is both a peer manufacturer (competing globally) and Columbia's exclusive Canadian distribution partner, making it a uniquely dual-role comparable.
• CrystaLite Skylights: North American skylight manufacturer producing standard and custom skylights for residential and commercial applications. Comparable in product range, custom capabilities, and dealer-driven distribution.
• Solatube International: Leading manufacturer of tubular daylighting devices (sun tubes), which is one of Columbia's core product categories. Solatube directly competes in the sun tube / daylighting niche with a strong North American distribution footprint.
• Wasco Skylights: US-based custom and standard skylight manufacturer serving residential and commercial customers. Wasco competes with Columbia in North American markets and overlaps strongly on custom-size, curb-mount, and glazing-engineered products.
• Sun-Tek Skylights: US skylight manufacturer offering residential and commercial daylighting products. Comparable as a mid-sized regional manufacturer competing for similar contractor and dealer channels.
• Kennedy Skylights: Long-established US skylight manufacturer serving residential and commercial customers. Comparable in product breadth, custom manufacturing capabilities, and dealer-supported sales model.

Broad incumbents

• Bilco Company: Established North American manufacturer of roof hatches, smoke vents, and access products that overlap with Columbia's commercial/industrial and flat roof product lines. Comparable as an established incumbent in adjacent commercial roof penetration products.
• Kingspan Light + Air: Division of Kingspan Group manufacturing commercial skylights, smoke vents, and roof accessories. Comparable as a larger, multi-product commercial daylighting and roof access incumbent competing for institutional and commercial project specifications.

Emerging players

• Bristolite Daylighting Systems: US-based daylighting solutions provider focused on skylights and roof glazing for commercial and architectural projects. Comparable as a specialist competitor in the architectural/commercial skylight segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Columbia_Sky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-manufacturing-co.-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Skylights